Happy New Year Baby Broiled Pears With Orange & Honey

What does this adorable photo of Betty Page have to do with this recipe? Absolutely nothing! But doesn't that put a smile on your face? Think healthy when you think sexy, and make your honey something fun for New Year's! 

Rock You All Night Long Bacon Wrapped Chili Rellenos

Now that I've stuffed everything but my bra this past week, I promise you that this will be the last "stuffed" vegetable recipe for at least a couple of weeks. And you know what? Lucky, lucky you that I've saved the best for last. I think it's pretty obvious why it's the best, isn't it? I mean, wouldn't you eat your dog's chew toy if it was wrapped in bacon?

A Grunge Cookbook Holiday Special! The Mustache's Slap Me Upside The Head Chicken Fried Steak

I don't think The Mustache likes his new 

pet name... oh well, c'est la vie! 

Back in "the old days" when things were less complicated, Chris, Andy, Susan and I had some really nice meals together. Mostly I cooked every night for everyone. Chris loved my cooking and commented when Andy and I moved out of his house and got our own apartment, he said " I'm really going to miss your cooking " when I said " Will you miss me ? "  

 I remember once around the holidays, he and his girlfriend and me and Andy went to this new place in downtown Seattle. This was probably the last time we all sat down and ate out together. We were all dressed up and the holiday spirit had us in a great mood. I gave Susan his girlfriend some red garnet earrings, and I gave Chris a necklace with a cross. Chris ordered this plate of chicken fried steak that was bigger than his head, believe it or not! The dish was called "Slap Me Upside the Head Chicken Fried Steak." I remember Andy got a "Gringo Burger" and was joking , "Why don't they have a Beaner Burger," always the joker that one!  

I will never forget that meal. It can only be described as a really special memory and moment in time where everything seemed perfect. There was not stress that we feel now as adults about money or physical pain or worry about what we can or should not eat like adults have. We are and drank what we wanted when we wanted, including pieces of meat bigger than our heads! These days I can't even finish a Beth's omelet by myself! 

I think I found what would be the closest recipe. Enjoy! And remember the way to a man's heart is definitely through the stomach! 

"Won't Be Driving Home" Christmas Jello Shots

First of all, I sure hope these instructions don’t confuse the heck out of you.

Second, this is a really fun thing to make! It’s a Christmas version of the classic “Finger Jello”recipe, which I believe refers to any jello that is supplemented by an additional dose of plain gelatin, which renders it a little more hardy and easy to pick up with one’s fingers than regular jello would be. Rainbow Finger Jello involves layering several different colors of the gelatin-fortified jello, which results in an amazingly happy and pretty layered treat.

A couple of weeks ago, I whipped up a cute Christmas version. The kids loved it. But I think I wound up eating more squares than anyone. I kept walking by the fridge, and popping squares in my mouth. Repeatedly. Till they were all gone.

Grunge Cookbook's Cod Tacos with Radishsnapper Salsa

If you don't know what a radishsnapper is, you're an idiot, you have no business reading this, and I should fire my publicist... but he's a monkey, and since it's the holidays I'm cutting him some slack....

Sancho the useless creature, he thinks sitting around looking 

good is a skill....

Grunge Cookbook's Screaming Broccoli Tree Salad

When I was but a wee child, I absolutely despised broccoli. I tried everything to make it taste better.... holding my nose , smothering it in Cheez Whiz (fricken' Cheez Whiz), and cutting it up into tiny pieces and hiding it in the rest of my food.  But nothing helped.

Broccoli Pomegranate Christmas Tree Salad

This might be the year I was too busy to get to making palmiers but I have finally made an eatable Christmas tree!

Xanaland's 1st Annual Turkey Shaped Jello Mold Contest by Danielle Spencer

These days, having a great story about your drunk uncle at Thanksgiving is not enough, you must have a turkey jello mold! 

Here are the best of for 2013, a collection we put together by Danielle, some have descriptions, some don't but all are hysterical and had lots of hard work put into them!  

Good Gravy, Thanksgiving Is On Its Way

The holidays are almost upon us, which means annual feasts are on the horizon as well -- and what’s a proper feast without gravy for your roasted bits and pieces?  For those who choose to create gravy goodness from something *other* than turkey drippings, here’s a scrumptious mushroom gravy that’s sure to please, courtesy of Puget Consumers Co-op (PCC) FoodWorks class. 

Elegant Mushroom Gravy                   

2 T. olive oil or butter

2 large shallots, minced (2/3 cup)

¾ lb. white or brown crimini mushrooms, sliced very thin

¼ lb. fresh shitake or chanterelle mushrooms, sliced very thin

1 ½ - 2 ½  T. arrowroot powder

2 ½ - 3  cups warm vegetable stock

5 or 6 or 7 or 8  T. white wine, or Ame (a non-alcoholic substitute)

¼  t. fresh or dried thyme

¼  t. dried parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil or butter in a 1½ quart pan.  Add shallots and mushrooms and cook until soft.  Do not brown them.

Dissolve the arrowroot in 2 ½ cups of the warm stock and whisk well, scraping the bottom and corners of the bowl.

Add the arrowroot/stock mixture to mushroom mixture and stir well.  Add wine and seasonings and bring up to a boil slowly, stirring constantly.  Cook a couple of minutes until thickened.  Add more stock if too thick.  Season to taste.

If using chanterelle mushrooms, be sure to buy regular ones instead of Jerry chanterelle mushrooms or you will end up with Rooster gravy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can also find an updated version of this recipe and get nutritional information here:  

http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/pcc/recipes/elegant-mushroom-gravy

Happy Feast-ivus!

Still Crazy After All These Years! Grunge Cookbook's Fabulous Fruitcake!

My mom, your mom, the lady staring at you on the bus wearing a pink tutu and walking an invisible dog, or maybe it's that annoying Facebook friend who just wont stay out of your business! 

In any case, 'tis the season for fruitcake! 

Halloween Eyeball Jello Shots

Ingredients

• 1 Cup of Vodka or Vanilla Vodka
• 1 Cup of Boiling Water
• 14 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 Envelopes of Knox® Unflavored Gelatin
• Food Coloring (Green or Blue, Black and Red)
• 1 Wilton Round Brownie Pop Mold

Note: You can substitute the vodka for any other flavored vodka or a liqueur like White Crème de Cacao.

Cooking muzak:

Woolworth's Frito Pie :An Old School Santa Fe Favorite

Now my Aunt Gina's going to be tiffed that I'm sharing this recipe, she already got mad at Anthony Bourdain for sharing it, but what can I say, it's part of my history thus must be included in my cyber scrapbook! 

Steak Bites with Bloody Mary Dipping Sauce

You know, thank goodness for the internet, because you can only make green and red chili so many ways....

Eat your hearts out Kentucky! 

Ingredients 

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 

1 small onion, finely chopped 

1/2 cup vodka 

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 

2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce 

1 cup tomato sauce 

1 rounded tablespoon prepared horseradish 

Salt and pepper 

1 1/3 pounds beef sirloin cut into large bite-sized pieces, 1 by 2 inches 

Steak seasoning blend or coarse salt and black pepper 6 to 8 inch bamboo skewers

Steak Bites with Bloody Mary Dipping Sauce
Adapted by Rachael Ray

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and onions and saute 5 minutes. Add vodka and reduce by 1/2. Add Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce, and horseradish. Stir to combine the dipping sauce and return the sauce to a bubble. Add salt and pepper and adjust seasonings. Heat nonstick skillet over high heat. Coat meat bites lightly in oil. Season with steak seasoning blend or salt and pepper, to taste. Cook the meat until caramelized all over, about 2 minutes on each side.

For a cute serving idea, purchase coffins at your local craft store. Lightly coat the meat and put into the coffin for each guest. Serve the bloody mary dipping sauce on the side to be put into the coffin once opened.

Here is some cooking music...

Grunge Cookbooks Hijo de Gallo: Son of the Rooster

Since Roosters can be cooked pretty much the same way as chickens, any great chicken recipe can call for rooster as a substitute, but there are few Spanish traditional recipes like this hijo de Gallo, which is a great summer and fall dish.  I would only say that a little cilantro or even a lot of cilantro and as much fresh peppercorn as you can steal from the next BBQ at Jack Endino's studio, will give it that extra grungy taste! 

Grunge Cookbook's Blind Melon Soup: It's Like Nothing Bad

I know it's late in the summer for melon soup, but depending on where you live and your diet, there is never not a good time to lay off the Dick's burgers and juice/fast for a few days. And juicing can get pretty boring, plus adding the wine that this recipe calls for may be calming and edge off your appetite...besides it's fun to make and super easy! 

Duke's Clam Chowder Recipe: A Seattle Favorite

Yes, I kiped this off the internet, so sue me! 

Grunge Cookbook's Not So Poor Boy Salmon

So recently we started our "Po Boy" and "Poor Girl" series of dishes, and then the other night, a friend brought over this huge piece of salmon, as you can see by the photo below the width was as wide as the length of the pan. So it had to be a HUGE salmon and it was probably the freshest I've had in years! 

Grunge Cookbooks Po' Boy Salmon

Yes, believe it or not, there is such a thing as being poor and still having salmon for dinner, that's just life in the Great Northwest, and mind you, we're not just talking about Seattle - the seafood is great and plentiful up and down the entire West Coast, like in San Francisco, for instance; but the problem in Seattle is once staple restaurants like Ivar's that you used to think of as fast food are now $10.00 a person, not including chowder and extra fries to feed the seagulls.... This is unacceptable!

Grunge Cookbook's Hangover Helper Pasta Dish

There's nothing worse than being hungover and broke too, no money for 13 Coins, boo hoo!  But this seemed to do the trick today, luckily I had a jar of decent red sauce, some penne and money for ground beef, which I only threw in for the kiddos, I could care less if I ever eat meat again, but it seems to find its way into my diet, so may as well make the best of it, I always marinade my meatballs in Worcestershire sauce and fresh garlic, and fresh Parmesan is always nice and needless to say the garlic bread has fresh garlic - a Xanaland must.  Enjoy, and remember to drink responsibly, unlike me and my monkey last night.  

Some cooking music:

Pickle Chocolate Chip Ice Cream: Nom Nom Nom!

Let's take a look at some products that pay homage to pickles, including pickles and ice cream! The world's gone green and these guys have a new line of Pickle flavored products. This tangy, zippy flavor livens up several new products and brings an eye-opening new scent to your laundry.

The Roosters Backstage Gefilte Fish Hourderve's

You worked hard for that backstage pass girls!  Go get you some of that gefilte fish! 

Our newest addition to the 'Grunge Cookbook' - We are happy to present this recipe, a staple item at any worthy backstage event in say 1990-1993!  Re-live or pretend you are backstage dining with the boys and how nice of them to feed you something fishy!  I hope you brought your own gummy bears!  I know I did! 

Nom Nom Nom 

Gross Gross Gross! I don't care how cool Canters is! 

I did come up with some great recipes though so here is one, enjoy and welcome to Xanaland's Grunge Cookbook Recipes, here is some cooking music, do not ask why just listen and don't forget the fresh lemon and that The Beatles were wrong!

Xanaland 2013

Seviche de Mariscos with Coconut

Latin America's love affair with seviche is believed to predate the Inca Empire.  The key to good seviche is not to over

marinate the fish.  About 15 minutes in the lime mixture should be enough, otherwise it becomes too chewy.

Ingredients

• 1 Ounce lobster (cook) dice
• 2 Can colossol crab meat
• 3 Medium shrimp, cooked
• 4 Tablespoon lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon red onion, julienned
• 4 Cilantro leaves
• Salt, to taste
• Pinch rocoto
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon coconut milk
• 6 Roasted cashews, whole
• 1 Pinch micro cilantro
• 2 Chifles (plaintains)
• 5 Slices fresno pepper
• 1/2 coconut, for plating

Preparation

Step 1:

In a large bowl, toss lobster, colossal crab, shrimp, rocoto, lime juice, salt, red onion, cilantro leaves, fresno pepper and coconut milk. After mixing, taste for seasoning, acidity and spice and adjust accordingly. If there’s too much acidity, add a few drops of crushed ice (about 1 tsp). To serve, plate in the coconut shell over ice. To garnish, sprinkle chifles, cashews and micro cilantro on top.

Watermelon Gazpacho

This no-cook soup, which first appeared on Soup Chick, has surprised and delighted many at Eating Well magazine.  Use your food processor to chop the bell pepper, herbs, and shallot if you don't want to dice by hand. Exact proportions aren't terribly important here.  Serves 6 generously; can be made 1-2 days ahead.

Watermelon Jello Shots: Heaven Awaits Your Tastebuds and Maybe Even Your Bed

I know, I know, you see these everywhere now due to Pinterest.  However, I started making them years ago, back when you had to scour the blogosphere for fun, creative, and unique ideas.  Since I have made watermelon jello shots quite a few times, I wanted to share the recipe I have found that works best and all the tips and tricks I have acquired along the way! 

You Know You're A Rock Star When You're Sucking on a Green River Mojito Lime Jello Shot!

Did you ever think you'd see jello shots on the blog?  Ok, ok, but hear me out.  These are so fun!  I'm a sucker for jello inside a citrus rind!  Get me every time.  My soon to be sister-in-law made these really cute blue jello in orange rind snacks for my nephew's pirate themed birthday party. They were just jello, not jello shots.  Just for the record. :)

Amazing and Beautiful Jello Shot's That Are Worth The Hangover

The food blogging world has taken the classic frat house Jello shot and broken the mold (literally) by fancy molds. These newfangled shooters even sport glam garnishes, so they’ll fit right in at your swanky soirée. Take a gander at these beautiful, jiggly creations!
replacing the Popov vodka and dixie cups with exotic ingredients and 

Pineapple Infused Margarita

Ingredients

For the Pineapple Infused Tequila
• 16 oz mason jar
• 16 oz 100% pure agave tequila
• 2 cups diced pineapple (fresh or frozen)
For the Pineapple Infused Margarita
• 1 1/2 oz pineapple infused tequiila
• 1/2 oz Grand Marnier
• 4 oz Simply Orange with Pineapple (Or plain Pineapple Juice)
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1 tbs kosher salt
• 1 tbs granulated sugar
• 2 tsp Lime zest for garnish and salted rim

It's Another Tequilla Sunrise: Better Learn How To Make Them Right!

Whether you are hosting a party or just looking for a satisfying drink to help you

relax, tequila cocktails are a popular choice. There are hundreds, even thousands, of drink recipes out there so how do you choose? Some people have very specific tastes when it comes to a cocktail but other people just want something that tastes good.

Spring Seafood Stew

Preparation 

Poaching is an excellent way to cook seafood, since the cooking liquid makes a flavorful base for sauce. This recipe features a French technique called monter au beurre (to mount with butter), whereby chilled butter is whisked into the cooking liquid at the last minute to ensure a satiny sauce.

Baby Tomato and Seafood Linguini: Food For The God's

• 400 g spaghetti
• 20 fresh langoustines
• 2 garlic cloves
• 15 cherry tomatoes
• 200 ml passata or tomato sauce
• 1/2 glass white wine
• salt and pepper
• 1 fresh chilly
• olive oil
• a small bunch of fresh parsley

Some people seem to have visions about what’s going to happen in their immediate future.. I seem to have visions of what I will be eating next.

Pork Mole Tamales

Difficulty: Hard | Total Time: 2 hrs 50 mins, plus soaking time | Active Time: 1 hr 15 mins| Makes: 30 tamales

These homemade tamales will disappear faster than it took to assemble just one! 

Feta Stuffed Lamb Burgers

Feta Stuffed lamb BurgersIt’s grilling time here in The Great Northwest. While this normally means making up a batch of burgers or dogs to appease the always-starving hordes of small people running around our house, every once in a while it’s also time to get seriously creative and try something new and completely different.

Shrimp Scampi Pizza Bread: Nom Nom Nom!

Imagine you are out to dinner at an Italian restaurant and you’ve ordered Shrimp Scampi as your entree with a side of Alfredo sauce and Garlic Bread. Wow! Look at you! You are good at ordering! Now take those 3 things and put them together on an open faced sandwich and you have this smart little recipe! Yup. You heard me. How does it taste? Insanely fricking good, right?!

Classic New Orleans Strawberry Mojito

This light and tasty cocktail is sure to please and a great conversation piece too if you can make them last! The sweet juicy fresh strawberries and fresh mint are just the right compliment to this classic drink! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 large strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 6-8 large mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons granulated or super fine sugar
• 2 fluid ounces white rum (2 shots)
• Club soda or seltzer water, as needed (about 1/4 cup)
• Garnish: mint leaf, half a strawberry
  

METHOD:

1. Add the strawberries, mint and sugar to a cocktail shaker or large drinking glass. Muddle until strawberries are broken down and mint leaves are torn apart.
2. Add the rum and shake well if using a cocktail shaker. Stir well if using a glass.
3. Pour rum/strawberry mixture into a tall glass. Finish filling the glass with ice and top off with club soda. Mix gently with a straw.
4. Garnish with a mint leaf and half a strawberry.

Even If You Don't Like Getting Caught In The Rain, You'll Love This Pina Colada Recipe!

I realized recently that we don't have a Pina Colada recipe on here so here we go! Enjoy and drink responsibly!

Become A 3 Star Chef With An Augmented Reality Cooking Simulator

Tokyo Institute of Technology developed a crazy system for anyone wanting to train and improve their cooking skills. In Japan, there is no shortage of good food. After all, Tokyo leads the world as the city with the most Michelin Three-Star restaurants. Now, Japan is applying their technology to the culinary art of training.

What a surprise today to discover that there is no more need for chefs to train their protege. The 3D simulator is the new teacher and teaches chefs-to-be everything they need to know.

The simulator calculates the heat transfer from the pan to the meat or vegetables that are being cooked and displays the visible changes caused by heating. The frypan interface allows for three-dimensional input and as well as moving the frying pan to aid the cooking process. The simulator can feed back the weight of the ingredients combined with the tactile feeling of frying them.

I guess that only thing it can’t do is simulate the smell of burnt food when you mess up.

source: soon soon soon! 

Sexy Strawberry Soup

Halfway between a milkshake and dessert, this versatile soup can be slurped through a straw or frozen into
fruit pops.

Strawberry soup

Ingredients

• 1 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sprigs of fresh mint (optional garnish)

Time estimates

Prep time: 10 min.  

Total time: About 10 min. 

Directions

1. Combine the first four ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth for about 30 seconds. Add a little more yogurt or milk if needed. Garnish with fresh mint. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 small servings